Youth Corner

OCTOBER 2019 15 G reetings Diocese of Shreveport friends and fellow laborers, and thank you all very much for your prayers and warm welcome as I begin this new path as Director of Pastoral Ministry for our diocese. I am excited and humbled by the confidence which the administrative team has placed in me. As I have visited the Catholic Center over the last few weeks, I have been very blessed to see firsthand a team of people with servants’ hearts whose enthusiasm for ministry and our new path breathes life into my own enthusiasm. I strongly encourage everyone to make an effort to get to know the team members here who are faithfully serving our diocese.

When I began my work as Youth Minister at Jesus the Good Shepherd in Monroe in August of 2015, if you had asked me where I see myself in 4 years, I would have said, “Still here at JGS hopefully polishing an established youth program.” Well as the saying goes, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” I am very proud of the work our youth ministry team accomplished over the last 4 years and I can honestly say we have accomplished most of what we set out to do in building a youth program. Now, to my surprise, He has called me to a new challenge and I look forward to beginning a new project.

Without repeating what Randy Tiller said in his article last month which introduced my new position, I would like to summarize myself with one word: builder.

When I came to JGS in 2015, there had not been a youth coordinator or program for many years. The advantage of that was that I was able to start from scratch and build the program from the ground up without being compared to the past or having to “fill someone else’s shoes,” nor did anyone have any concrete expectations. This was very freeing. In His providence, I believe God has given me a very similar opportunity here at the Diocese. Not only has our Diocese been without a Director of Campus, Youth and Young Adult Ministry for some time, my position is brand new and encompasses a broader spectrum of ministry so I am thrilled about the huge opportunity for new ideas and strategies.

I want you all to know that my door is ALWAYS open and I very much desire to hear from everyone who has ideas about how we can serve our Heavenly Father and our brothers and sisters in Christ across north Louisiana in all areas relating to pastoral ministry. I always say that the best ideas I have, I have gotten from someone else. In Romans 12:4-6 (NAB), the Apostle Paul wrote “For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them.” Indeed let us collaborate, strategize and work together to build God’s kingdom.

Over the next year, my initial plan and goals are to assess the different pastoral ministries that are operating throughout the diocese, network and establish communication with the many clerical and lay pastoral ministers, and develop a comprehensive strategy for each of the various pastoral ministry branches in collaboration with their directors, employed members and volunteers.

As a builder, I am less an artist than a pragmatist. I am driven by what works. Clinging to tradition or innovation simply for their own sakes is not what I have observed to be effective in ministry, nor have I seen a one-size-fits-all approach work on a large scale. Generally speaking, ministry (youth ministry for example) is going to look slightly, or even vastly different, based on location, population, community history, etc. Therefore, I am a strong believer that we must be docile to the Holy Spirit as He works through us to accomplish His will.

In addition to communicating with many of you individually via phone and e-mail, I will also strive to provide diocesan pastoral ministry related news via this magazine and social media. By Mark Loyet YOUTH CORNER Welcome to the Beginning Loyet

Mark Loyet is the Director of Pastoral Ministries. You can contact him at mloyet@dioshpt.org